The time-honored way of showing love in an Italian family is to offer food. Whether we're celebrating, mourning, happy, sad--if we're breathing, there's a table filled with great things to eat. Life's too short, so eat what you love and love what you eat.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

I love brownies! I don't make them often because...I love brownies. I do make them at least once a year for DSO's hunting camp Opening Day dinner. This year I decided to try a new recipe and found this one on the King Arthur website.

I had to sample half of one to make sure they were good. Oh, my, were they ever! I know this will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on. I can imagine one with Godiva chocolate syrup and vanilla bean ice cream on top.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Hasselback potatoes are a fun side dish that I've enjoyed, so when I saw a recipe for Hasselback apples, I thought, "Why not?" The original recipe called for an oatmeal crumble, making the dish something like an apple crisp. While I'm sure that recipe would be delicious, it wouldn't be something that I could indulge in on a regular basis. I decided to eliminate that topping and just kick these baked apples up a notch.

3 large apples, peeled and cored

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Starting at the outer edge, make thin slices at 1/8"-1/4" intervals cutting most (but not all) of the way through each apple half.

Place apple halves, cut side down, in an 8-inch square pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Combine butter, sugar and cinnamon and brush evenly over each apple piece.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes

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TASTE NOTES

These apples were delicious and with just a bit of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon on them, they were very figure-friendly. I may add a lightened oatmeal crumble next time.

Sunday, November 6, 2016

If you've never been on the King Arthur Flour blog, please put it on your list of things to do. This blueberry buckle coffeecake is a straightforward recipe that doesn't disappoint. Use fresh blueberries whenever possible or substitute frozen when you must.

I ran this recipe through the Weight Watcher recipe builder and it comes in at 7 SP per serving, based on cutting the cake into 16 servings. It's an indulgence for me, but well worth it.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

I love Mexican flavors and when I can have that taste without a lot of fat and carbs, it's a win-win situation. I've made a number of versions of this layered chicken enchilada casserole, but what separates this version (based on one I saw on the blog Skinny Chicken) is the sweetness from the honey which contrasts nicely with the acidity of the lemon juice. Here is my take on the SK recipe.

6 servings - 9 SP per serving

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey

⅓ cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, separated

1 teaspoon cumin, separated

1 teaspoon garlic powder, separated

1 teaspoon salt

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

¾ cup fat-free cottage cheese

½ cup fresh corn (off the cob) or frozen and defrosted

12-thin corn tortillas, cut in half

1 cup light cheddar cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons scallions, sliced or chopped

1 (10-12 oz) can red enchilada sauce

OPTIONAL: light sour cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in a 9 X 13 baking pan and using half the amount of spices listed above, season the chicken thighs on both sides. Roast for 20 minutes, turn chicken, then roast for an additional 20 minutes or until thighs are cooked through. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together honey, lemon juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Shred the chicken and add it along with the cottage cheese and corn, mixing well. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or longer.

4. Coat the bottom of the pan with ¼ cup enchilada sauce. Spread around.Cover bottom of pan with tortilla slices Spoon ⅔ cup of the marinated chicken with some of the juice over the top. Add 4 corn tortillas to cover bottom. They will overlap a bit. Spread ⅔ cup more chicken mixture evenly over tortillas, top with ½ cup shredded cheese. Add another layer of tortillas. Spread with ½ of remaining sauce, add remaining chicken and add a final layer of tortillas. Spread remaining sauce all over top. Sprinkle with ½ cup shredded cheese and scallions. Cover casserole with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Cool a bit and cut into 6 slices.

6. Serve each with 1 tablespoon of sour cream or yogurt dolloped over the top.

Makes 6 servings
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TASTE NOTES
This casserole is a winner. Easy to put together, a mere 30 minutes in the oven, and a generous serving for a light entree--what's not to like? Next time I'll up the protein by including some black beans.